Packers release 2014 regular season schedule

WEAU (Green Bay)- The Green Bay Packers’ 94th NFL regular-season schedule – highlighted by a Thursday night opener at Seattle and four other prime-time contests (subject to flexible scheduling) – was released this evening by the National Football League.

The Packers will open their season at Seattle for the first time in franchise history, the first time ever that they have faced the defending Super Bowl champions in Week 1. It is the third straight season that the Packers have traveled to face the defending Super Bowl champions (N.Y. Giants in 2012, Baltimore in 2013), and it marks the second time in the last four seasons that Green Bay has played in the NFL’s regular-season opener (2011 vs. New Orleans).

After playing the N.Y. Jets at Lambeau Field in Week 2 in the home opener, Green Bay plays back-to-back NFC North games on the road (Detroit, Chicago). It marks only the second time in franchise history (1922) that the Packers have opened the season with three of their first four games on the road.

Green Bay has two additional prime-time contests prior to its Week 9 bye, hosting Minnesota in a Thursday night contest in Week 5 to cap off a stretch of three NFC North games in 12 days, and traveling to New Orleans for a Sunday night tilt in Week 8. The Packers’ open date on the schedule is in Week 9 for the first time since 2004.

The Packers will come out of their bye week with another prime-time game, hosting the Bears in a Sunday night contest in Week 10. The game against Chicago will kick off a stretch of four home games in five weeks for Green Bay, including a Week 14 contest against Atlanta at Lambeau Field on Monday Night Football.

The Packers’ lone NFC North contest in the final five weeks of the season comes in Week 17 vs. Detroit, the fourth time in the last eight years (2007, 2008, 2011) that Green Bay has closed out the regular season against the Lions at Lambeau Field.

Green Bay’s schedule includes five games against 2013 playoff teams, with three of those contests at Lambeau Field (Carolina, New England, Philadelphia) and two on the road (New Orleans, Seattle). Along with its six games against divisional opponents, Green Bay will also play an additional two teams (Atlanta, Philadelphia) that it faced last season.

The dates and times for Green Bay’s preseason games have also been finalized.

* Start time may shift due to NFL flexible scheduling, which will be used in Weeks 11-17 this season. It may also be applied in Weeks 5-10, but can be used in no more than two weeks during that period.

+ For the first time, a select number of games are being “cross-flexed” by the NFL, moving betweenCBS and FOX to bring potentially under-distributed games to wider audiences.

SCHEDULE NOTES …

at Seattle, Sept. 4, 7:30 p.m. CT (NBC) – Green Bay opens its season in Seattle for the first time in franchise history…The third straight season that the Packers have traveled to face the defending Super Bowl champions (N.Y. Giants in 2012, Baltimore in 2013), a franchise first…Second time in the last four years (2011) that Green Bay has played in the Thursday night opener that kicks off the NFL season.

vs. N.Y. Jets, Sept. 14, 3:25 p.m. CT (CBS) – The Packers open their home slate against the Jets for the third time ever (1973, 2000)…The Jets’ first game at Green Bay since 2006…The Packers’ last shutout came in a 9-0 victory over the Jets at MetLife Stadium in October 2010.

at Detroit, Sept. 21, 12 p.m. CT (FOX) – Green Bay has won six of eight games at Ford Field under Head Coach Mike McCarthy…The third September visit to Detroit under McCarthy (2006, 2008)…One of two indoor games for the Packers on the season, Green Bay has a 20-9 mark (.690) indoors since 2006 (including playoffs).

at Chicago, Sept. 28, 12 p.m. CT (FOX) – The second time in the last four seasons (2011) that the teams have met at Soldier Field in September…Including a 2010 playoff victory at Chicago, Green Bay has won 16 of the last 20 meetings between the rivals at Soldier Field…The Packers have won at Chicago in the regular season each of the last three years.

vs. Minnesota, Oct. 2, 7:25 p.m. CT (CBS/NFLN) – Border rivals square off in a prime-time contest for the sixth time in the last seven seasons…Including playoffs, Green Bay has a 7-1-1 mark (.833) against the Vikings at Lambeau Field under McCarthy…Will be the third Thursday night meeting between the teams (1994, 2006).

at Miami, Oct. 12, 12 p.m. CT (FOX) – Green Bay’s first visit to Miami since 2006 and only its third in the last 23 seasons…The ’06 meeting between the clubs also came in the month of October…Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin coached on the staff in Green Bay from 2003-11.

vs. Carolina, Oct. 19, 12 p.m. CT (FOX) – The Panthers’ first visit to Green Bay since 2008 and their first ever to Lambeau Field in the month of October…The Packers have won five of the last seven meetings between the teams.

at New Orleans, Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m. CT (NBC) – Three of the last four meetings have been prime-time contests (2008, 2011)…With 55 regular-season wins each, a matchup of the two winningest clubs in the NFC since 2009…Green Bay’s first visit to New Orleans since 2008…The teams have combined for 211 points in their last three meetings.

vs. Chicago, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m. CT (NBC) – The division rivals square off in a prime-time contest for the ninth consecutive season…The Packers have won five of the last six meetings against the Bears at Lambeau Field…Under McCarthy, Green Bay is 7-1 (.875) in the game after the bye, which is tied for No. 1 in the league over that span.

vs. Philadelphia, Nov. 16, 12 p.m. CT (FOX) – Marks the second straight season that the Eagles have visited Lambeau Field, only the second time in the series that the teams have squared off in Green Bay in back-to-back seasons (1933-34)…Also the second straight season that the teams will play in November.

at Minnesota, Nov. 23, 12 p.m. CT (FOX) – The teams meet in Week 12 for the second straight season...Will mark the first outdoor game (TCF Bank Stadium) between the clubs in Minnesota since they squared off at Metropolitan Stadium on Nov. 29, 1981…Of the past 23 regular-season meetings between the teams, 17 of those games have been decided by seven points or less.

vs. New England, Nov. 30, 3:25 p.m. CT (CBS) – The Patriots’ first visit to Lambeau Field since 2006 and only their third visit ever to the stadium (also 1979)…Since 2009, the Patriots lead the NFL in regular-season wins (61), with the Packers (55) tied for No. 2 in the league.

vs. Atlanta, Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m. CT (ESPN) – Marks the 22nd straight season that the Packers have appeared on Monday Night Football (1993-2014)…Just the second MNF meeting ever between the clubs (1971 at Atlanta)…The teams square off at Lambeau Field on Dec. 8 for the second straight year…The Falcons visit Green Bay in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2001-02.

at Buffalo, Dec. 14, 12 p.m. CT (FOX) – Green Bay’s first visit to Buffalo since 2006 and its first ever in the month of December…The Packers have won four of their last six road games played in the month of December.

at Tampa Bay, Dec. 21, 12 p.m. CT (FOX) – The Packers’ first December visit to Tampa Bay since 1999, which was also the last time they played the Buccaneers in their regular-season road finale…Green Bay’s first visit to Raymond James Stadium since 2009.

vs. Detroit, Dec. 28, 12 p.m. CT (FOX) – The fourth time under McCarthy that Green Bay has closed its season vs. Detroit at Lambeau Field (2007, 2008, 2011)…Including a 1994 playoff victory, the Packers have won 23 consecutive games against the Lions in the state of Wisconsin…Green Bay has a 14-2 overall mark (.875) and an 8-0 home record against Detroit under McCarthy.

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